"Friendly Bullet To The Heart"
PART II
By Jonathan Urban
February 8, 2000
MI6 Headquarters
April 4, 1996
14:03 GMT
"Welcome back James," the sweet, soothing voice of Moneypenny greeted Bond. "What did you bring me?"
"Moneypenny..." James held something behind his back, "...you read my mind," Bond handed her a dozen red roses.
"Ohh James, they are beautiful...I don't know what to say," Moneypenny was ecstatic.
"No need to Moneypenny...after so many brushes with death you seem to find yourself constantly reevaluating your life. Afterall, it was the least I could do," Bond bent over and kissed her on her cheek.
"James, that could be considered sexual harrassment..." Moneypenny smiled slyly.
"Ah Moneypenny...don't encourage me," Bond said as he entered M's office.
The office was much more bright than it used to be under the old M--much more artistic and inviting. Bond thought to himself, he was beginning to like this M. M was seated behind her desk as Bond walked in. "Please have a seat Bond," M said in a kind, cordial manner.
"Thank you M, and I see you remembered," Bond pointed to the martini sitting on the edge of her desk.
"Shaken, not stirred, if I'm not mistaken," M looked at Bond as he nodded. "Now onto business. I understand that you came across Rudolph Stefan Pincer during your latest mission. Were there problems you care to discuss?"
"M, he was my friend a long time ago and a fellow MI6 00 agent. Now he is a traitor to the agency and the country. I have no qualms about killing him. In fact, that would be justice served," Bond took a sip of his martini.
M looked at Bond curiously, "Odd that you show no emotion about the possibility of killing an old friend. But then again I remember the situation with Alec a year ago," She saw Bond wince at the very thought.
"You can't compare the two M...Alec was a terrorist all along, waiting and planning to strike against us all. Pincer, was as dedicated to MI6 as I ever was. His motive is not world domination and revenge like Alec's was. His is pure greed. He believes he is due respect and wealth for risking his life M, and I have no doubt he will do anything to achieve his goals. The man I saw two days ago was not the man I used to know. Pincer is gone, and greed has taken over. Hell, he nearly killed me...and like you said...we used to be friends," Bond looked over to the window.
Rome, Italy
June 15, 1993
12:00 GMT
"I took the liberty of ordering a martini for you and a bloody mary for myself," Pincer smiled as he checked out the beautiful hostess that walked by. Pincer and Bond were sitting at a quaint Italian restaurant waiting on a contact and enjoying the sites.
"Not my taste," Bond smiled at Pincer. "But the martini is right on the mark my friend."
"Then you won't mind if I go introduce myself while we wait," Pincer got up and walked confidently over to the hostess. Her long dark hair, complemented by her dark skin and eyes, was exquisite. Bond saw Pincer put out his hand for a greeting, and she reciprocated. Bond had a feeling 005 would not be joining him for after dinner drinks.
Bond shook his head. Any other time he would be over there making acquaintances, but tonight was different. He was waiting on an important contact, one who he had waited a long time to see. Katrina Svetlana, walked casually over to the table--he long brown hair and green eyes looking at Bond. Bond's contact had finally showed up.
"Katrina, you get more beautiful every time we meet," Bond stood and pulled out her chair for her.
"And you flatter me more every time we meet, James," She placed a folder on the table, near Bond's martini glass. "This is it James. The files contain the locations of the chemical weapon plants and the men involved with the terrorist operations." She was quite lovely with those beautiful green eyes as she talked.
"As always, we are in your debt. Hold on while I drag my colleague away from his current business," Bond strolled over to Pincer who was still chatting away with the Italian hostess. "Pincer, won't you join us," Bond motioned over to the seat where Katrina sat smiling.
"Bond, you can't give a guy a break, can you...well...business calls my sweet...and don't lose this," Pincer smiled and handed her a note, probably with his suite number on it.
Bond and Pincer walked back to the table, but before they could get there an explosion rocked the place, sending debris and smoke all over. "Get down!" Bond pushed Pincer to the floor. "I have to get to Katrina--cover me!" Bond cautiously made his way to the table where Katrina was, but to his horror, he saw her lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. The explosion had been a diversion as someone had snuck in and shot her in the head. Bond held her briefly, "Thank you again...your death will not be in vain."
Bond turned around to see where Pincer was, and at that very moment felt a sharp pain shoot through his body. "Pincer, I'm hit!" Bond said.
Apparently the shooter was still in the square adjoining the restaurant, probably from a sniper's position. Bond stayed low to the ground, clutching his shoulder. He could see Pincer moving towards him stealthily. "James, stay down, I'm going to get in a better position."
Pincer made his way through the overturned tables and broken glass to a wall at the far end. It gave him protection and perhaps an opportunity to see the sniper. Since Pincer himself had been an excellent marksman he looked in places he, himself, would use as a sniper. He caught a shadow moving a block down, several stories high. Pincer saw the sniper take aim at Bond again. His friend would not be so lucky with this shot. Pincer aimed and fired. The sniper was not hit, but ran.
"Old friend," Pincer held out his hand, "why don't we go back to our hotel and see if we can't fix that."
Bond remembered that day like it had just happened. Pincer, his friend and colleague rushing him back to the hotel and removing the bullet in his shoulder. They had been friends--but now they were enemies. Bond looked back at M. "Emotion is the key here M, and Pincer will use that against me if he thinks I still give a damn about him as a friend. The day he left MI6, is the day he stopped being my friend."
"Well then," M looked sympathetic, "here are the files for your assignment. I trust, you will not let this be a vendetta Bond?"
"No, M...it is merely business," Bond said coldly--surprising M with just how cold.
